Street-sweeping machine



B. KERN. STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 19. 1 914.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

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B. KERN.

STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

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Patented Dec. 16,1919.

B. KERN.

STREET SWEEPlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I9, 1914. 4 I

Patented Dec. 16,1919.

B. KERN.

STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION. FILED NOV. 19. 1914.

1,325,297. Patented Dec. 16,1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

BERNARD ILERN, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

STREET-SWEEPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 19, 1914. Serial N 0. 873,010.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD KERN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Sweeping Ma chines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention, to the extent that the subject matter thereof is common to the subject matter of my co-pending application filed Jan. 30, 1911, Serial No. 605,588, and now devoted to the method of cleaning streets, is a continuation of said application.

The present invention relates to means for cleaning streets and has for its object the provision of an improved machine of the character stated, adapted in its operation, to remove from street surfaces, the usual dirt and refuse, there to be found, with such efliciency as to include with equal facility, the finer particles of dust and the heavier or larger masses and lumpy substances.

The invention comprehends an improved combination of elements designed to cooperate in removing from the street surface the usual accumulations thereon through the in strumentality of the air separating the finer from the heavier particles and filtering the air utilized as the conveying medium from the finer dust and collecting the latter in a place beyond the influence of the air, so that said air finally may escape to the atmosphere in a purified condition.

The invention also comprises means embracing the dust separator and actuating means therefor adapted to be operated inclependently of the collecting and conveying means for the refuse, so that the separator may be operated when the machine is otherwise out of action, to clear the separator and prevent clogging of the same.

The invention also embraces the combination with a separator having associated therewith a main collecting chamber and a dead air chamber into which relatively fine dust may fall from the separator, of means permitting escape of the collected materials from both of said chambers, and elevating means for facilitating the dumping of said chambers.

The invention also includes an improved type of agitating or jarring means for the separator to cause the dust collected thereon fall t e ef m.

Important details in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of my machine will be apparent from the detail description hereinafter contained, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view largely diagrammatic, of my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan vie-w of the con duit removed from the machine;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line xw of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line y-g of Fig. 3,

Figs. 5 and 6 are front and end views respectively, of the mouth piece of the conduit, showing the relative proportions of the walls to give the elongated or flattened contour to said mouth piece while maintaining the interior uniform throughout, and of the same cross sectional areas as the cylindrical portions of the conduit or pipe sections leading to and from the fan arranged intermediate of said sections,

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the separating and collecting box, the adjacent portions of the machine being broken away, and the box being shown by dotted lines in dumping position,

Fig. 8 is a front view of the box, the supporting'frame being shown in transverse Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

section and the elevating means also being end thereof.

D represents a second motor, operable either independently of or inconsonance with the motor A, connected to drive a rotatable dust collector E, arranged within the forward portion of the dust box or compartment F, constituting the rear portion of the vehicle; I

G represents a fan, also having a drive connection H with the motor A of the vehi cle; J the cylindrical intake section or pipe leading to the intake of the fan and from the elongated flattened mouth portion K, arranged a suitable distance, approximately five inches from the street surface, the opening of the mouth piece being rearwardly as shown, and having an apron L depending from its inward or lower edge and adapted to close the space between the end of the mouth and the street surface and to trail over said surface, the apron being of fiexis ble material for that purpose. M is the out let of the conv ying portion of the conduit, the same connecting with the outlet of the fan and thence running rearwzrdly into the top of the compartment or box F whence it discharges freely into said compartmen As shown in the drawings, the fan G, the mouth-piece K, the conduit sections J lead ing from the mouth-piece and the conduit section M leading from the fan to the dirt box are connected to afford a. continuous closed conduit from beginning to end, and the areas of each and all of these parts through wnich the dust laden air is adapted to travel, is faithfully maintained throughout the extent thereof so that the velocity of the air will be uniform, and so that it will be impossible for the carrying or conveying column of air passing to, through and from the fan, to vary during its passage through any one of the conduit members, which variation would permit retardation or liberation of particles from the air in such conduit, and the depositing or collection of the same upon the walls of the conduit, thereby to frustrate successful re sults. This uniform area is preserved until the refuse laden column of air is discharged from the end of the conduit into the compartment F.

The brush 0 is designed to raise the dust and refuse from the street surface into the sphere of influence of the inrushing column of air feeding into the mouth of the conduit, which air entraps the dust and particles, completely surrounding the same and sustaining the particles in suspension in its onward movement.

Immediately upon the dischar e of the refuse laden airinto the compartment F, the air is p rmitted to expand within the large area there presented, the heavier particles falling by gravity and COlleCtiHg upon the bottom of the compartment in rear of the partition F, the dust collector E intercepting the escaping light air currents passing over the same and through the filter outlets N at the sides of the compartment, the partition F being furnish d to prevent the air currents passing through the separator from tending to draw to the separator the matter deposited beyond said partition,

The dust collector and filter outlets need only be referred to generally herein, in view of the fact that they are being claimed merely in the broad combination, the preferred forms of my collector and separator and the filter constituting subjects matter for other co-pending applications.

The finer particles of dust are collected on the outer surface of the fabric folds of the collector E. As the air passes therethrough, and as the collector is rotated, said particles are shaken from the separator through the medium of the cooperating cam and spring pressed rods 6, and deposited in what 1 have termed a dead-air chamber or dust bin 0, that is a chamber removed from the influence of air currents within the compartment F and having communication at its top with the sheets or folds of the collector immediately thereabove, it being understood that when those sheets or folds of the fabric at the lower portion of the collector, and immediately above the opening in the dead air chamber are shaken to release the dust, the same is deposited in said chamber.

As heretofore observed, the air passing through the collector escapes to the outside of the compartment F, through the medium of the filter outlets N at the opposite sides of the machine, which purify the escaping air and effectually prevent escape of even the minutest particles of dust which may still be borne by said air.

The refuse laden air conducted through the pipe M and discharging into the compartment F will immediately expand, and this expansion of the air will liberate and permit the heavy substances to be deposited at the bottom of the compartment in rear of the separator, rather than forced onto the dust collector or separator E, the latter being designed for dust alone, and in practice I have found that operating under a substantially low pressure, the desired results are obtained to a remarkably nice de 'ree of exactness because, when discharging the material under low pressure into the relatively large chamber as stated, the expansion of the air will liberate the matter collected and previously borne thereby, permitting the same to fall by gravity, that is, the heavier particles, the dust and lighter particles being caught by the dust collector,all this as distinguished from shooting the discharge from the conduit outwardly therefrom under high pressure, which would throw the substances carried thereby beyond the dust collector or the heavier matter onto the dust collector, needlessly obstructing and impairing the operation of the latter. 7

Another feature of merit resides in the fact that the intake pipe J of the air conduit as a whole, is arranged in approximately an upright position, as distinguished from an inclined position. This reduces the friction between the walls of said pipe and ISO the refuse-laden air and presents practically no obstruction, such as would be presented by an inclined wall, in the path of travel of the refuse-laden air from the inlet of the mouth-piece to the fan. The forcing action of the fan in the pipe section M is suflicient to clear any elbow or turn therein. By the elimination of the bends or inclines in the intake or lifting end of the conduit I have obtained the desired results.

It is of great importance that the dust collector, air conduit, and fan be proportioned in strict keeping with the theory underlying my method else the best results cannot be obtained,the parts will speedily clog and render the machine entirely inoperative for practical purposes. To this end, as previously noted, the mouth piece and that portion of the conduit formed therewith and terminated at the fan, I have after years of experiment, found must be of uniform area throughout the same, and I have similarly found that the area of the conduit leading from the fan to the dust box or equivalent point of discharge, must also be of uniform area throughout, and that the fan and its casing should be furnished in capacity and size to insure uniform velocity through these conduits, the maintenance of the uniform area preserving a uniform den sity and preventing the air from losing its hold on the refuse, so to speak, as would be the case were the air permitted to expand in any irregularly formed portions of the conuit.

For example, in one embodiment of the invention it may be assumed that a No. 45 Sturtevent fan having an inlet and outlet area of approximately 225 inches is employed. The uptake pipe section J and the upper or conducting section M will have a corresponding cross sectional area, to wit, approximately 17 inches in diameter, and this area will 'be maintained throughout the entire extent of the air current from its inlet to its discharge, it being noted that although the mouth-piece K is flattened to provide an elongated or slotted opening, the front, rear and end walls of the mouth piece are graduated so that the interior area at all points of the mouth-piece will still remain uniform with the other sections or pipes of the conduit, towit, an area of 226 inches. The operation would be carried on under a pressure of approximately one and one-half ounces, the fan exhausting about 6000 cubic feet per minute and the dirt box having an expansion area of about 411 cubic feet. Under these conditions the dust collector would contain 12907 5 square inches, in each square inch of which there will be 75 square inches of opening, the remainder. of the square inch being taken up by the threads so that the total amount of opening in the 129075 square inchesof'cloth is 17 647 square ter the zone of influence of the volume of air entering the mouth piece. There the particles are entrapped by the air, the same being entirely surrounded by the air. By

moving such laden volume of air, under the' uniform pressure, while maintaining the same volume throughout the respective conduit members constituting the air conduit, the refuse is conveyed through the section J, fan G and section M to the compartment F without danger of clogging or any impediment whatever to the operation irrespective of the character of the material, whether dust or relatively large or lumpy bodies. Then the air and debris is discharged into the expansion chamber within the compartment F, the heavier parts will fall by gravity caused by the immediate great expansion of the air, and the finer parts that will follow a current of air will pass through to the dust collector where the dust will adhere to the cloth and be held by the slight air pressure in the compartment. As the dust collector revolves and the pockets of the same enter the dead air chamber, the sustaining pressure is relinquished .and the cloth is shaken automatically to remove the dust, the latter being allowed to settle in the deadair chamber, which latter as pointed out, is so constituted and arranged that it is entirely beyond the influence of the air currents. In this manner the apertures of the cloth are kept open to allow the air to escape. The air discharged through the openings at the sides of the compartment, the same being of adequate size to permit free escape thereof, and traversing an irregular course through the moss filter any remaining fine dust in the air is-there arrested. 7

It will be understood that the specific figures given herein aremerely illustrative and not restrictive, they being approximate and given with a view of assisting those skilled in the art to a successful carrying forward of the method herein outlined.

The dust chamber 0, to which I have hereabove made reference, is formed, as stated, below the rotary dust separator and between partitions P and Q, provided to have lower hinged portions or flaps, as at p, q, the upper edges of'the partitions having flexible packing strips R-adapted to wipe the periphery of the rotary separator and seal the space therebetween as the latter rotates. The

.lower portion of the partition F is also arranged to constitutea movable or flap p01 tion 7, all of these hinged portions being connected together through the medium of a cable S having its end secured at a convenient portion on the interior of the dust box, indicated at s, and adapted to be engaged by the operator in simultaneously opening all of the flaps. and affording a clear open space,

at the bottom of the dust box in the dumping operation to be presently explained.

lVithin the dead-air chamber and mounted upon the forward inclined wall T of the dust box, so as to pivot on a suitable bracket 6', projecting therefrom, are a series of knockers U, having their free ends arranged to be engaged by the slatted periphery uof the separator when the slats or strips are carried in their travel over the ends of the knockers, springs to connecting the knockers with the front wall of the dirt box to throw them back with force against the succeeding strips and thereby effectually jar the separator and shake therefrom the dust accumulated on the fabric of the separator so that the same may fall into the dead-air chamber.

I deem it expedient to provide a means to facilitate the dumping of the separator casing or dust box. This means includes a clerrick V, pivoted at its lower ends to the frame of the machine, as at 'v, and carrying at its upper end the block W cooperating with cable mechanism to carrying a hook 20, adapted to engage an eye 7 at the lower front corner of the dust box F, by which mechanism the box may be raised from its normal horizontal position, to the inclined position shown by dotted lines, such movement of the box being enabled by the pivoting of the rear ends of the box, as at w, to the side bars X of the frame of the machine, the latter being L-shaped as shown, to permit the box to seat upon horizontal flanges thereof or be raised therefrom at will.

When the box F is to be raised to dumping position, the discharge conduit M is uncoupled, as at Z.

Vhile I have herein disclosed one special embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the invention is capable of embodiment in other forms and devices and as be within the scope of the hereto appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a street sweeping machine, the com bination with a brush, of means for lifting and conveying the material liberated by the brush through the medium of air, a rotary separator to which the dust-laden air is discharged, separate means for respectively actuating the separator and the dust lifting and conveying means independently of each other, said separator actuating means being adapted to operate the separating means to clear the same when the lifting and conveying means is at rest, and means for shaking the separator while being thus actuated to facilitate the cleaning thereof.

2. In combination, a sweeper vehicle, a wheeled dirt receptacle, a dust bin in the dirt receptacle, an exhaust fan on the sweeper vehicle, a conduit provided with a mouth-piece, leading from the roadway to the fan, a conduit leading from the fan to the dirt receptacle, a dust collector between the dirt receptacle and dust bin, an air passage leading to the open air, and a strainer in said passage.

3. In a street sweeper, a dirt receptacle, a dust bin, a fan, a conduit provided with a mouthpiece, leading to the fan, a conduit leading from thefan to the dirt receptacle, a dust collector between the dirt receptacle and the dust bin, an air passage leading to the open air, and a strainer in said passage.

4. In a street sweeping machine, an exhaust fan, and a conduit leading to said fan having an uptake portion and a relatively elongated mouthpiece therebelow, said conduit as a whole being shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying form, but of uniform size throughout the course of its conveying travel.

5. In a street sweeping machine, an exhaust fan, and a conduit leading to said fan having a tubular ,uptake portion, and a mouthpiece therebelow of a shape to be effective over a relatively extensive street surface, said conduit as a whole being shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying form but of uniform size throughout the course of its conveying travel.

6. In a street sweeper, a dirt receptacle, a dust bin, an exhaust fan, a conduit provided with a mouth-piece, leading from the roadway to the fan, a conduit leading from the fan to the dirt receptacle, both of said conduits as a whole being shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying form but of uniform size throughout the course of its conveying travel, a dust collector in the dirt receptacle, an air passage leading to the open air, and a strainer in said passage.

7. In a street sweeping machine, collecting instrumentalities comprising a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, means for throwing material into said mouth. piece, an exhaust fan operatively associated with said conduit, a dirt receptacle, a dust separator, conduits in communication with and leading from the fan to the dirt receptacle and dust separator to cause the material to pass therethrough, and a dead air chamber arranged outside of the influence of the air current created by the fan for the reception of the dust, the conduit portion including its mouthpiece leading to the fan, as a whole being shaped and of a size to receive and ill) form a column of air of Varying form but of uniform size throughout the course of its conveying travel.

8. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, means for throwing the material into said mouth piece, a suction fan connected to said conduit, a dirt receptacle, and a conduit between the fan and the dirt receptacle, the mouthpiece and the first mentioned conduit, as a whole being shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying form but of uniform size throughout the course of its conveying travel.

9. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, an exhaust fan connected with the conduit, means for throwing the material into said mouth piece, a dust separator, connections between the fan and the dust separator, and a dead air chamber associated with the dust separator arranged outside of the influence of the current created by the fan for the reception of the sepa rated dust.

10. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, an exhaust fan connected with the conduit, means for throwing the material into said mouth piece, a dust separator, connections between the fan and the dust separator, and a dead air chamber associated with the dust separator arranged outside of the influence of the current created by the fan for the reception of the separated dust, said conduit and the mouthpiece thereof, as a whole being shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying form but of uniform size throughout the course of its conveying travel.

11. In a street sweeping machine, a revoluble cylindrical broom, an exhaust fan, an air conduit leading to the fan, and a mouth piece for the conduit disposed near to the broom and close to the ground, said mouthpiece and conduit, as a whole being shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying form but of uniform size throughout the course of its con veying travel.

12. Ina street sweeping machine, a dirt receptacle, an exhaust fan, a conduit provided with a mouth-piece, leading from the ground to the fan, a conduit leading from the fan to the dirt receptacle, an air passage from the dirt receptacle to the open air, a strainer in said latter passage, and a dust collector in the dirt receptacle.

13. In a street sweeper, a dust receptacle, a dust bin, an exhaust fan, a conduit provided with a mouth-piece, leading from the roadway to the fan, a conduit leading from the fan to the dust receptacle, said first mentioned conduit as a, whole being shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying form but of uniform size through the course of its conveying travel, a dust collector in the dust receptacle, an air passage leading to the open air, and a strainer in said passage, substantially as described.

14. In a street sweeping machine, a revoluble cylindrical broom, an exhaust fan, an air conduit leading to the fan, a mouth piece for the conduit disposed near to the broom and close to the ground, said mouth piece having a narrow elongated opening of the same length as the broom and corresponding in area to the transverse area of the conduit, said mouthpiece and conduit being, as a whole shaped and of a size to receive and form a column of air of varying BERNARD KERN.

Witnesses:

L. N. WERNER, D. R033. 

